Professional Organizer Sara Long shares organizing tips and news to help you say "so long" to clutter.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

What Do You Do with Lots of Linens?

Do you have a tower of towels? A surplus of sheets? A plethora of pillowcases? What do you do when you’re the contents of your linen closet look like they could supply a Holiday Inn? Organize!

1. First, sort by type and take a count. Put like with like: sheet sets, bath towels, hand towels, etc. See how many sets you have, and if you have any odd items.

2. Next, assess how many of these items you actually use. How many beds do you have in your home, how often do you change your sheets, and how often do you wash them? Consider the mattress sizes, and then use these values to determine the minimum number of sheet sets that you need. If you have one queen sized bed that you change the sheets on once a week, but you only wash sheets every two weeks, you need at least two sets of queen-sized sheet sets. You also can use this formula for towels, hand towels, etc.

3. Determine what you want to keep. Decide how many linens you’d like to keep based on what you use and how much space you have. It’s good to have an extra set of sheets and towels in case of emergencies, but be realistic. Then keep sets that are in the best condition, match, or are just your favorite for other reasons.
4. Donate old linens. The SPCA accepts towel donations to use for the animals. You can donate sheets and blankets to most thrift shops. If they are in very bad condition, consider cutting them up and using them as rags.